Property background:

The house was built in 1952 and we bought it in early 2010 as a project because the original kitchen, bathroom, windows etc were starting to fall apart.
There was no insulation anywhere, and there were all kinds of issues that needed resolving (e.g. sinking garage, cracked drains, drooping front bay, roof structure, spalling brickwork, etc)

Key changes made:

The first thing we had to do was get the unglamorous stuff right (beefing up the footings, replacing cracked pipes etc).

In terms of energy efficiency, the key things were (a) insulation without gaps, (b) a very air tight envelope and (c) a ventilation system with heat recovery.

We took a whole house approach and this has worked very well in both increasing comfort and reducing energy use.

Measures installed in detail:

• PassivHaus renovation
• 180mm Phenolic board external insulation to all walls
• Passivhaus certified triple glazing throughout
• Loft insulation, uValue: 0.13W/(m2K)
• 300mm EPS floor insulation, uValue: 0.13W/(m2K)
• Extensive air tightness work, ≤ 1.0 m3/h.m2 at 50 Pa
• Whole house mechanical ventilation heat recovery system to be installed
• Photo voltaic panels to be installed on south facing roof
• Low energy lighting throughout
• Low energy appliances throughout
• Water saving devices to include; Low flush loo, low flow taps and shower. Water butts for garden use.
• Other energy efficiency implements to include; designed to include draught-lobbies: porch on front door, utility room for back door.

Benefits of work carried out:

Comfort levels are dramatically improved. It is hard to express just how great the difference is. I used to wear 3 fleeces indoors and still feel cold, the temperature used to yoyo all the time, and the hall was always bitterly cold. Now the whole house is pleasantly warm and the temperature is very stable.
Air quality likewise is greatly improved – humidity levels were far too high for most of the time before the refurbishment, and thanks to the ventilation system they are now far lower.
Condensation and mould on windows and walls are a distant memory.
Taking the kitchen out of a tiny box room and creating a dining-kitchen and family area has made family life so much more manageable and enjoyable.

Favourite feature:

Hard to choose just one!
Being able to cook / eat / sit in warmth and comfort with a great view down the garden (through triple glazed windows) is wonderful.
The other fabulous (if less glamorous) feature is the drying cupboard in the bathroom. It has a small radiator and an extract vent so clothes dry really quickly in the winter when the heating is on. Even without the heating on, clothes dry pretty fast in the house thanks to to the ventilation system.

Project update:

After 3 wonderful, warm winters in our Superhome, we are having to sell up and relocate to a completely different area of the UK for family reasons.
The worst thing about it is not the time, effort and money spent on this house (and the fact that we had just reached the point of sitting back and enjoying our lovely home)….
– it is the prospect of going back to a cold, damp, hard to heat house (possibly off gas) where we are likely to end up!
We’d love it if someone interested in Superhomes were to buy our house – there are more details about the house including sale info on http://eco-retrofit.blogspot.co.uk.

Updated on 22/05/2015

Business name:

EcoHouseNet

Business overview:

EcoHouseNet, founded by Dr Tina Holt, offers consultancy for householders. This includes free and low cost ways to save energy, medium cost measures and grants or cash back schemes, and consultancy on whole house refurbishment or even extensions and new builds.

A member of the AECB (the sustainable builders association), EcoHouseNet believes that the health of buildings and occupants must be considered alongside improvements in comfort and energy efficiency.

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